Happy Thoughts
by RosyThorn
Summary: Adult Harry tries to teach Danny a spell, but Danny isn't getting it.


Danny glared at the man next to him with his arms folded.

"I don't get why I have to learn this stupid spell," he grumpily pouted.

Harry rubbed his eyes, bumping his glasses up his face, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Letting out another tired sigh, he answered, "Danny. It's one of the few spells effective against ghosts. In fact, it's only effective against the dead. So just… try again a few more times and then we can take a break, alright?"

"My fists are effective against the dead."

"Not against dementors they're not."

Harry held up a hand, stopping the indignant protest before it started.

"Yes, you were able to punch them, a fact that will never cease to amaze me, and you did hold your own against them fairly well. But if I remember right, by the time I got there and _drove them away with this spell_ , you were on the ground crying."

Danny's glare uncomfortably shifted away as he muttered, "I wasn't crying."

"No, I suppose you technically weren't. But my point still stands."

Instead of answering, the teenager huffed out a long breath of air and squared his shoulders. He set his feet apart and bent his knees, getting ready to "attack". Part of Harry wanted to tell the kid that it was unnecessary, that it was just a spell and all that was really needed was good arm movement, but he held his tongue.

"Expecto patronum!"

A small puff of light fizzled out at the tip of his wand. Danny slumped.

"You need to focus more on-"

"Happy thoughts! I know, Peter Pan!"

Harry laughed, shaking his head. "It's a little more than happy thoughts, Danny. You have to come up with a specific memory, a real one that you can still feel the joy you had felt then when you think on it. Take your time to come up with one, close your eyes to focus on it if you need to. We're not fighting anything right now, so you can take your time and just get a feel for it."

Danny frowned at his wand in contemplation, not really seeing it. After a brief silence, he looked back up.

"What memory do you use?"

Smiling fondly, Harry answered, "there are quite a few I use. The one I've been using tonight is the day Ginny told me she was pregnant."

Danny's nose crinkled. "That doesn't help me at all."

Harry snorted in response, rolling his eyes. "It doesn't have to be a special or meaningful memory, just a happy one. Let go back inside and grab ourselves a drink, then we can get back to drying out our throats shouting spells."

Danny nodded and darted inside a little too eagerly, in Harry's opinion. With a sigh, Harry followed after him. The second wooden step of the back porch creaked as he made his way into the cozy warmth of his home. Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafted in the air, causing Harry to raise an eyebrow at his wife, who had on a minty green apron which caused her round belly to stick out adorably. She flushed a little in embarrassment, but put her hands on her hips and flipped her long, red pony tail over her shoulder confidently. Danny stood, glancing between the two.

"I thought Danny might like some cookies. He's been working really hard on spells for a long time. Would you like milk to go with them, Danny?" Ginny smiled at the boy, barely refraining from scooping him up into her arms and never letting go.

"Yes please!"

"Go wash up, and sit at the table and I'll bring it to you."

Danny nodded and as soon as he was gone, Ginny excitedly grabbed onto her husband's arm, shaking him.

"Harry, he's so cute!"

Harry frowned as he subconsciously put his arm around her. "He's a teenager, Ginny. I don't think that word describes him very accurately. He's a ball of sarcasm and anger."

Ginny whacked him. "No, he's adorable! The way his eyes lit up when he saw the cookies! He's so small, Harry. I just want to squeeze him!"

"Ginny, you should be resting."

"Oh shush you. I have been resting. I've been resting for the past two weeks, thanks to you. I wanted to do something, and he's been working so hard."

The frown stayed on Harry's face as they stared at each other. After a moment, Ginny's eyes widened in understanding.

"You're jealous."

Harry blinked at her. "What?"

"You're jealous! I'm calling him cute, and making him cookies, and saying he's been working hard. You're jealous!"

Ginny grinned at the deep crimson blush on her love's face.

"No, no I am not. I'm not jealous."

Her grin broadened.

He sighed and tucked his head, "okay, maybe a little."

"You're ridiculous, Harry." She bent down to find his face. "I love you so much."

She closed the small distance and planted a deep kiss. Harry sighed contently and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. A small, surprised gagging noise broke them apart. Harry's eyes lingered on her before he reluctantly looked over her head at the teenager.

"Pretty sure your bedroom's that way," Danny snarked.

Ginny twisted around, still in Harry's arms, to look at the teen.

"Aw! You're blushing!"

A deeper shade of red took hold of his face as he grumbled a "whatever" and irritably marched to the table, sitting down heavily.

"How do you not think he's adorable?" Ginny whispered as she peeled away to grab the milk.

Rolling his eyes, Harry didn't reply. Once Ginny had three glasses of milk poured, she sent them and the plate of cookies to the table with her wand. Harry watched with amusement as Danny eyed the floating items apprehensively, but made no comment. They sat down to join Danny at the table, Ginny immediately grabbed a cookie for herself.

"Well, go on! Dig in, you two. Eat as many as you like."

The warm cookie slowly sagged in Harry's hand with softness. Danny closed his and melted into the bite.

"These are delicious, Mrs. Potter!"

"Why, thank you Danny. They're my mother's recipe."

Reaching out for a second, Danny said, "you and you're mother are amazing."

Ginny beamed. "So, what are you two working on out there?"

Danny nearly answered with his mouth full of cookie, but remembered his manners and stopped himself. So Harry answered Ginny instead.

"The patronus charm."

"Still having difficulty with that one?"

Danny's face soured and he nodded, taking a drink of his milk.

"What memories have been trying?"

He gave her a shrug. "I don't know. The happy ones? That one time Tucker and I won the science fair, that time Dash was the only one to notice a ghost and screamed like a little girl in front of the entire student body, my mom once spilled hot tea all over Vlad, and that one time I went to space."

Harry blinked at Danny. "You've been to-"

Ginny cut him off by lifting her hand. "While those memories are good ones. I think you're coming at it at the wrong angle. I find that the victorious-happy memories don't work as well as the relationship-happy memories. So, try to come up with a memory where you were happy with someone."

Receiving two blank stares, she sighed. "One of the memories I will use often is this one time my brothers, the twins, were upset with each other. I can't quite remember why…"

"Fred and George argued?" Harry asked, completely shocked.

"Yes they did. It didn't happen often… but you saw how bad they were together, and I'm telling you now, it was so much worse when they weren't." Her lip quivered. "Anyway, they had been at each others throats for two days. Bill and Charlie decided they were sick of it. So they… pranked them. I don't know how they did it, but during dinner, (which Fred and George both refused to eat in the same room as the other so had mum kicked them both out of the dining room,) Fred burst in from the front door completely covered in chicken feathers, while Fred, at the same time, came down the stairs completely yellow. They both immediately blamed each other and started a yelling match. Bill and Charlie lost it, and soon everyone was laughing at them. We all laughed so hard for so long. By the end of it Fred and George were laughing too. My sides ached so much afterwards…"

The warm, understanding fondness in Harry's gaze made her smile softly. Danny's eyebrows scrunched together.

"So… George, your brother, the one with the cool joke shop, he had a twin?"

Ginny nodded. "He was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts."

Danny seemed to shrink under the weight of the new knowledge and he looked down at the half eaten cookie in his hand.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Danny." She reached across the table to grab his hand. "You're missing the point of the story. Laughing together like that with my family had been a wonderful experience, and it still makes me smile to this day. It's those kinds of memories that you need to focus on."

Danny nodded slowly, taking in the information. Ginny moved the conversation to more lighthearted things as they finished their milk and cookies. The teenager stuffed away an impressive number while he laughed and joked with the young couple.

As Danny took the last sip of milk, Harry asked, "you ready to try again?"

Danny sighed and pushed himself out of the chair. "I guess."

Ginny clapped her hands together and exclaimed, "that's the spirit!"

Chuckling Harry said, "don't worry, just a few more tries and then we'll be done for the night, alright?"

Back outside, Danny stood with his feet apart, glaring at the back fence.

"You need to relax, Danny. Close your eyes and focus on a memory."

Danny took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose. A soft chilly breeze ruffled his bangs. The barest hint of a smile graced his face.

He opened his eyes and shouted, "Expecto patronum!"

A bright flash of blue light caused Danny to gasp and fall backwards. The light faded and Harry threw his head back and laughed.

"Your own patronus startled you!"

"Shut up!" Danny snapped at the adult from the ground. "I just wasn't expecting it is all!"

Getting control over his chuckling as Danny stood back up, Harry clapped a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were you thinking about? because it worked loads better than last time."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the light flush on the teenagers cheeks. Danny mumbled something, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What was that?"

"The cookies were really good…"

Harry blinked. "Are you serious?"

Danny gave a short nod, looking away.

With a chuckle Harry shook his head.

"Well, go ahead and try again, but try not to startle yourself."

Danny sent him a scathing glare, but did as instructed. Repeating the same process, he shouted, "Expecto patronum!"

The silvery blue light jutted out of his wand, and tumbled through the air. The patronus uncurled and skipped happily around them.

"Brilliant! Well done, Danny! Your patronus is a badger!"

The patronus suddenly disappeared. Harry smiled down at Danny proudly. His smile faded slightly at the sight of Danny staring at the spot the badger had vanished in shocked horror.

"Danny?"

"Never..." Danny shakily stated, "I will never… under any circumstances, use the patronus charm ever again. Ever."

* * *

 **Hello. I did a thing. I'm sure you have questions. Why was Danny training with Harry? How long have they been training? How did they meet? When did Danny meet George?**

 **I will tell you now:**

 **I have no clue.**

 **Give me your thoughts; they will be appreciated, I guarantee it!**

 **The symbolic meanings of the badger:**

 **Determination**

 **Eagerness**

 **Strong will**

 **Focus**

 **Strategy**

 **Tenacity**

 **Defence**

 **Protection**

 **Independence**

 **Confidence**

 **I think it fits Danny.**


End file.
